Federal agents served a search warrant at GKN Aerospace, a Southern California aerospace facility, where a chemical tank overheated weeks ago, forcing 50,000 residents to evacuate over fears of an explosion. The tank, containing methyl methacrylate, started overheating and building dangerous pressure, prompting a massive evacuation effort in Garden Grove and Stanton.

Investigation Underway

The FBI confirmed it was executing a search warrant signed by a federal judge, authorizing the seizure of documents and records related to the storage, use, or disposal of the chemical. The warrant includes a general list of items to be seized, such as samples of substances inside any container with methyl methacrylate, documents involving the storage or handling of the toxic chemical, and records on risk analyses of GKN’s equipment.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued a statement about the search, saying, ‘From day one, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has been on the ground and fully engaged in our investigation into potential criminal acts by GKN related to the May 21, 2026, hazmat incident.’ Spitzer welcomed the federal government’s parallel investigation into the activities at GKN, stating that he wants to ensure the 50,000 victims who were forced to evacuate their homes receive the full restitution to which they are entitled.

A GKN Aerospace executive spoke at a community meeting about the crisis, apologizing for the incident and stating that the company is still investigating what happened. The city’s mayor asked whether the company would remove the chemical from its site, but the executive said it was too early to draw any conclusions.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.